Many people suffer from Keratitis Sicca (common dry eye), resulting in discomfort and possible ocular damage from desiccation of the cornea. A less common medical condition that prevents the eyelid from naturally wetting the eye is Bell's palsy. Bell's palsy is a condition that causes unilateral facial paralysis that interferes with the ability to blink or close the eye. Dry eye conditions are typically treated with artificial tear solutions to restore the corneal tear film layer and relieve discomfort. However, the application of an artificial solution often provides only temporary relief and therefore must be applied many times throughout the day. The burden caused by frequent application of eye drops can be a disincentive to applying the drops to maintain proper corneal tear film moisture levels.
Another ophthalmic condition, Nocturnal Lagophthalmos, causes the eyelid to remain partially open during sleep, which allows desiccation of the exposed portion of the cornea. A common treatment for this condition involves instilling a viscous ointment (a lubricant) in the eye before going to sleep. Although effective to avoid nocturnal corneal desiccation, use of the ointment can be messy, which is often a disincentive to its use.
Many ophthalmic medical conditions can be effectively treated by periodic instillation of pharmaceutical agents into the eye. Beta blockers for the treatments of glaucoma and antibiotics for the treatment of corneal infections are examples of such agents. However, effective treatment often requires periodic and regular administration of the drug to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.
Devices and methods are disclosed herein for improving the introduction or instillation of fluids into the eye, for example by applying wetting solutions to the eye or for administering therapeutic agents that treat ocular conditions.